'SEWA' - meritorious activities Down Under

When Australia opened its door to multiculturalism people from all over the world migrated to Australia. Sri Lankans were among them. Sri Lankans are a mixture of the Sinhalese, Tamil, Muslim, Malay and Burgher communities. The Sinhalese people for generations have maintained the culture of family ties linked to the 'ancestral home' concept. No one left the ancestral home even after marriage, if they were compelled to do so they choose a place closer to the ancestral home. Therefore parents and children developed a strong bond. Under the Australian skill immigration policy a large number of youths from Sri Lanka migrated to Australia.

Driven by the parent children strong bond the younger crowd sponsored their parents to join them in Australia. These parents most of them with a non-English speaking background were altogether from a different cultural, social and religious background and as time went on they began to feel lonely, isolated, bored, and frustrated and virtually they became prisoners within the four walls of their luxurious homes.

This was something that the community together with the government had to address fast. There were Sri Lankan associations attempting to address this problem but that did not directly meet with the requirements of the Elders.

The only solution to this problem was to set up an organization that directly addressed the needs of the elders' with a commitment to "Of the Elders' For the Elders' By the Elders'. Initiative was taken by two eminent personalities respected and adored by the Sinhalese Community in Melbourne to form such an Association.

One was late Mr. P. Mahawela, a retired senior executive of the Sri Lanka Co-operative Department who migrated with his wife, a retired nursing sister to join the family of their only daughter.

The other was late Mr. L. B. Ekanayake, a scholar and retired principal of a school who migrated with his wife, a professional teacher also to join the family of their only daughter. Mahawela/Ekanayake combination ably supported by Mr. Tissa Amarasekera an interpreter and translator by profession untiringly worked for the founding of the Sri Lankan Elders Welfare Association known as "SEWA".

On 4th April 1999 about 30 elders of the Sri Lankan Sinhalese, Tamil, Muslim, Malay and the Burgher community met at No. 2 Podmore Street, Dandenong, Victoria and formed the Sri Lankan Elders', Welfare Association, the "SEWA" on the understanding that it shall be an Association of the sri Lankan elders' for the Sri Lankan Elders' and by the Sri Lankan Elders' "SEWA" Constitution was approved at the AGM of 2001. "SEWA" was incorporated under the Victorian Associations Incorporations ACT 1981 effective 04th December 2002 (A0043466A). SEWA has its own ABN 67 363 805 307. In accordance with the SEWA Constitution there is provision for those over the age of 55 years to become ordinary members. However, to accommodate those who sincerely and regularly continue to contribute and care for the elders' and also to accommodate those elders over 55 years of age who visit Australia for a short holiday "SEVA" constitution provides for an Associate Membership. Associate members do not have the right to hold office and or to vote.

In the verdant City of Casey, Largest and Fast Growing Municipality in Victoria, Australia the ancestral home of the Bunurong and the Wurundjeri people and at the village of Doveton in Myuna Ward the John Pandazopolous Public Hall is the home of 'SEWA", "SEWA' is proud to by associated with the City of Casey.

At the John Pandazopolous Public Hall the members meet every Monday from 10.00 am to about 3.00 pm.

They meet to have a chit chat with fellow elders, read newspapers and magazines, view teledramas from Sri Lanka, play indoor games such as billiard, cards, carrom., join hands to dance and sing especially the songs of the yester year, and to enjoy a lunch prepared by the food committee including all the delicacies they were used to at home not missing the malluma, polos ambula,dry fish tempered and manioc.

Outdoor activities are two fold. One is inter Club visits. Organized by the Migrations Resources Centre Dandenong, SEWA has already visited the Dandenong Scott Street Seniors Club to spend a day and SEWA reciprocated. This was a tremendous experience for both clubs. The other is SEWA tours. Yearly SEWA conducts 3 one day trips, 2 week-end trips and one inter state trip.

So far SEWA has conducted 18 one day trips, 10 week-end trips and 5 Inter State trips. Significance of these trips is that for the first time in Victorian Sri Lanka elders were able to participate in a night out trip. Inter State trips have been to Canberra twice, Wollongong Chinese temple, Sydney, Adelaide. SEWA successfully completed a tour of the Tasmanian State crossing the Bass Strait on board the Spirit of Tasmania in September 2006.

"SEWA" has several firsts to its credit. It will go on record that "SEWA" formed the first Association of the Sri Lankan elders' under the theme of 'Of the Elders' By the Elders' For the Elders' and incorporated. 'SEWA" found a permanent meeting place.

'SEWA' organized a pilgrimage to all the Buddhist temples of Victoria during Wesak known as a pandal service. 'SEWA' faced the challenge of taking the elders' for a night out trip. 'SEWA' enjoys the honour of being invited to participate in the Governor House reception conducted annually on the International day of the older persons.

'SEWA' has installed computers at the center for the benefit of the elders'. SEWA has a volunteer who is conducting computer classes' bilingual for the benefit of elders'. Sri Lankan Sinhalese language also has a font in Sinhalese language. Now through the internet the son or the daughter in Australia can communicate within few seconds with the mother or the father in Sri Lanka in their own language.

We welcome inquiries, suggestions and offers by interested parties to achieve our objective.

Tissa Amarasekera, President